Royals to help with homebuilding in Joplin

JOPLIN — Members of the Kansas City Royals are scheduled to be in Joplin to work with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for victims of last year's devastating tornado.

The team said among the Royals in Joplin on Monday are pitcher Danny Duffy, former first baseman Willie Aikens, former outfielder Brian McRae and more than 30 front offices associates.

The work is part of Gov. Jay Nixon's Joplin Challenge as the community continues to recover from the May 22, 2011, tornado that killed 161 people and damaged a large section of the southwest Missouri town.

The Royals will work with staff from Habitat for Humanity on five homes in the "Royals neighborhood." They'll also be meeting with Joplin residents, including the families who will be moving into the neighborhood.